


Conscience

by yeaka



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies), Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen, Vignette, WTF
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-30
Updated: 2019-12-30
Packaged: 2021-02-27 14:41:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 621
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22038709
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yeaka/pseuds/yeaka
Summary: Spock has shoulder demons.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 58





	Conscience

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own Star Trek, the Dummies books, or any of their contents, and I’m not making any money off this.

Spock has no interest in Earth’s yuletide holidays. He has little interest in Earth itself. But he’s agreed to spend the next few days with his parents in their holiday cabin simply to make his mother happy, as, he assumes, his father is as well. He can’t possibly have come of his own volition. Earth is much too cold in its winter, but their house in the dry Vulcan desert would be even chillier if Spock’s mother weren’t appeased. So Spock puts on the blue knit toque she’s made him and survives the snow. He buys the vaguely alcoholic beverages she requests and carts them through the shopping district in a fabric shopping bag. He peruses the specialty stores for gifts to purchase and isn’t particularly surprised to spot the occasion fellow Vulcan amongst the crowded isles. Much of the Federation has adopted an amalgamation of such traditions. The only real difference between species is that most simply grab what they want and bustle on, while Vulcans thoughtfully stand there, privately consulting their inner guides before committing to any one present. 

Spock passes through a bookstore and abruptly finds himself in the same predicament. There’s a display of tutorial books with a large ‘Fatherhood for Dummies’ title right in the center. Spock has no plans of becoming a father any time soon. But he does have a father who could certainly use some lessons in proper communication with one’s son. 

Of course, the ‘dummies’ addition does have a derogatory connotation that may bolster the bitter gift, making it not so much a subtle hint but an open insult. On Spock’s left shoulder, one of his two guides appears, as it would for any Vulcan making an important decision. However, Spock’s guides have a distinctly _human_ appearance, something that he’s never fully come to terms with. He recognizes that he is _half human_ , so of course he can’t be expected to psychologically function like a full-blooded Vulcan. It’s still irksome. 

The tiny brunet hovers by Spock’s left ear with blunt horns and a pointed tail, denoting that he’s the ‘demonic’ guide, though his robe is a dull blue instead of the traditional red. His council is infrequently sage and largely sarcastic. The devil grumbles, “Just get it. Maybe he’ll actually read it and learn a thing or two about being a decent father. And maybe then he won’t throw a fit when you start the fall semester.”

Spock nods slowly, though he knows his devil is offering poor advice—it’s unlikely his father will actually ingest the book’s meaning. Their tension will only grow as Spock progresses through Starfleet Academy. One Terran book couldn’t possibly fix that. 

On his right shoulder, a second figure appears, one dressed in gold with lighter hair, a little younger, expression less gravelly. He chimes, “Definitely buy it. Think how much fun it’ll be to watch him unwrap it.”

Spock sighs. Easily the most unfortunate part of having human DNA is that he has _two_ devils and no angel in sight. The new arrival lightly nudges his neck and jovially tells him, “C’mon, Spock. You’re a model son ninety-nine percent of the time. You deserve a little fun now and then.”

“Yeah, pointy. If he can’t accept Starfleet, he can’t have a better present.”

A Tellarite stops beside Spock, barks out a note of laughter, and takes the last copy of the book. Spock actually slumps with relief as the decision’s taken from him. He _almost_ gave in. That would’ve been disastrous. His guides are being thoroughly illogical again.

“There he goes,” the first guide groans, forever at odds with rationality.

The second one chuckles halfway between playful and confident, “It’s alright; we’ll get him next time.”


End file.
